Feb

I like my coffee BLACK! How often in a day would baristas in a café hear these word? More common than you think. The power of pure coffee will never disappear into the hearts of true coffee drinkers and coffee lovers.

Coffee is a culture in itself, it unites the world in a common interest and even ties the world together.
And it all starts with the beauty of pure coffee-the espresso. Europeans have a love for espresso more than Americans do. It is actually in the fear of drinking the pure bitterness of coffee that most people would rather not have a shot of espresso at all. Well, that’s a myth.
The art of making the best espresso is actually creating a mix of different roasts of coffee to create a bold taste of coffee, which only has a hint of bitterness but not bitter at all. Why do you love your brewed coffee or your Caffe Americano so much? It’s practically the same as drinking espresso-only, it’s stronger.

Espresso Shots
The intensity of an espresso also depends on four different espresso servings. Some like having their caffe latte with a double shot of espresso while some prefer to just have a single shot. So what are these espresso servings?
When in Europe, drinking a cup of espresso has become synonymous with drinking a shot of alcohol-they drink it quickly. Espresso is served in demitasse-style cups. Here are the four different servings of espressos:

Ristretto or Short Shot
It’s called a short shot simply because it’s the espresso serving with the least amount of espresso in a cup. It is only comprised of a 3/4 ounce of extracted espresso.

Single Shot
A single shot is, simply put, an ounce of espresso in one extraction. It’s about 30 ml of espresso.

Lungo or Long Shot
It’s about 45 ml of espresso or 1 1/2 ounce of espresso.

Double Shot
A double shot is composed of 2 ounces of espresso in a single extraction which is about 60 ml. In barista terms a double shot is called doppio.

Parts of an Espresso
Every barista knows every element that comprises a good shot of espresso. It is essentially the three matters of an espresso: solid, liquid, and gas.

Espresso Is a Solution
This is the solid part of an espresso. It’s technically the water-soluble elements of coffee, whether it’s an espresso or brewed coffee, you practically get the same elements in each cup.

Suspension
Tiny coffee particles and gas bubbles are suspended in a shot of espresso. This liquid part of an espresso is the one responsible for keeping the fullness of an espresso shot. Technically, it’s the part of an espresso that locks in the flavor without making the espresso taste bitter.

Espresso is an Emulsion
The reason an espresso is so intense and filled with flavor is because of the emulsion or the gas matter of an espresso. This is the oils that are emulsified into the brew brought about by the pressure from an espresso machine. We know this better as the ‘crema’. The crema is the one that holds the flavor and the aroma of the coffee. The cream easily dissipates the longer you let an espresso sit and that is why Europeans love drinking espresso promptly. In order to make crema, you need some espresso knowledge, or a super-automatic espresso machine.

Finally, a freshly extracted espresso is devoid of all bitterness, despite the many misconceptions people have about an espresso. For that reason, they love adding milk, cream, and sugar. An espresso shot is rich and full of the pure essences of coffee-making it a surreal coffee experience in a tiny cup.